Fountain pen filling device



Sept. 6, 1932. R. HARRIS ET AL FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Filed May 17,1932 4 Sheets-Sheet l a S 2 m V. w; W s M F 424/164 5. KEECH p R. L.HARRIS ET AL 1,875,866

FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Filed May 17. 19252 4 Sheets-Sheet 2IPI4MJJI 4. HAFP/S 044/4 5. KEE'CH Sept. 6, 1932. R. HARRIS ET ALFOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE 4 Sheets-sheaf '3 Filed y 17, 1932 wufn/roes24/1/54! 4. #46845 04444 E. 4 5566 #770E/VEV Sept. 6, 1932. R. HARRIS ETAL 1,375,866

FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Filed May 17, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 E4M$4VA- HARP/.5 0/4444 5. [EEC/7 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE BAMSAY HARRIS, OF CLAREMONT, AND DANA E. KEECI-I, OF GLENDALE,CALIFORNIA FOUNTAIN PEN FILLING DEVICE Application filed May 17, 1932.Serial No. 611,798.

Our invention relates to fountain pen filling devices and findsparticular utility in a preferred embodiment thereof which is adapted tobe readily applied to any standard ink bottle.

While there have been numerous attempts to produce a satisfactory devicefor filling fountain pens none of these devices has come generally onthe market to date, and it is an object of our invention to produce .asatisfactory device of this character. Among other objects sought to beattained by our invention is the object of providing a fountain penfiller which accomplishes its purpose without turning a bottle upsidedown; which keeps the barrel of the pen free from being wetted by theink; which automatically fills the ink sac in a fountain pen; whichoperates uniformly so that a person may be absolutely sure after havingproper- 1 used the device that the pen sac will be filled with ink; andwhich so closes the mouth of a bottle of ink when the device is not inuse as to be practically immune from 5 accidental spilling of ink.

In experimenting with fountain pen filling devices of this type we havefound where the air space above the ink in the bottle is vented to theatmosphere and where air is blown into the ink in the operation of thedevice, that bubbles are formed in the air space above the ink whichtends to carry ink out of the vent with air passing outwardlytherethrough.

It is therefore another object of our invention to provide a ventedfountain pen filling device having means for breaking up bubbles of inkprior to their reaching the vent.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects, as well as furtherobjects and advantages will be made manifest in the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a preferred embodiment ofour invention applied to a standard ink bottle.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an inside member included inthe device shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4: are horizontal sectional views taken on the lines 33 and44 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views illustrating amodified form of Vent vestibule adapted to be used in the embodiment ofthe invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a stage in the operationof our invention in which the bellows thereof is manually compressed.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating a stage in the operationof our invention where the bellows is released after being compressed.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the modified form of ourinvention applied to a standard ink bottle.

"Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 illustrating the first step in theoperation of this device.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 illustrating the second step in theoperation of the device shown in Fig. 9 which follows the steps in theoperation illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a second modified form of our inventionapplied to a special ink bottle.

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a washer used in the construction ofthe device shown in Fig. 12'.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 13 and illustrating the operation ofthe device shown therein.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 8inclusive, a preferred form of our invention illustrated in thesefigures comprises a fountain pen filling device 20 which is shown asbeing applied to a standard ink bottle 21. The ink bottle 21 has theusual neck 22 provided at its upper end with an outwardly extending head23, there being a body of ink 24 in the bottle.

The pen filling device 20 has an outer shell 28 which is formed ofrubber or siniilar resilient material. The shell 28 includes a collar 29which fits over the neck 22 of the bottle 21 and has an annular innerrecess 30 which wardly from the shoulder 39 is an annular which will bemade manifest hereinafter.

The recess 35 is separated from the recess by an inwardly extendingflange 36 and is bounded eripherall by a relatively thin wall of ru ber37. he recess is bounded upwardly by an inwardly extending flange 38,there being an annular outer shoulder 39 which extends downwardly belowthe level of the upper edge of the annular recess 35.

Formed in the wall 37 just below the shoulder 39 is a vent hole 40, thepurpose of which will be made manifest hereinafter.

Provided on the shell 28 and extending up wall 44 which forms a suctionbellows 45.

' The wall 44 preferably curves inwardly to form a cup 46 having arelatively thin floor 47 there being a pen nib receiving opening 48provided centrally in this floor.

Mounted in the annular recess 35 is an inner member 50 which ispreferably formed 'of a rigid material, such as metal, hard rubber,bakelite, glass, or the like. The inner member 50, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, includes an upper floor 51, an outer wall 52, a pen-nib pocket53, and a vestibule floor 54.- Theupper floor 51 of the member 50 has anannular boss 58 extending upwardly above the upper end of the pen pocket53 and provided with radial channels 59 formed therein. The channels 59slope towards the axis of the member 50 and divide the boss 58 intosegments 60 which are preferably hollow, as

shown in Fig. 1, in order to out down the wei ht of the inner member 50.

e outer wall 52 has an outer vent hole 62 provided therein, which, whenthe device is assembled is disposed in communication with the vent hole40.

The pen pocket 53 is adapted to closely fit the en nib of the maximumsize with which the device 20 is adapted to be-used. The upper end ofthe pen pocket 53 has an external shoulder 65, the pur ose of which willbe made evident hereina ter, and the lower end of the pocket preferablyhas a tapering floor 66 which terminates in a downwardly extending neck67. Stretched over the neck 67 is a rubber tube 68 which preferablyextends to the lower end of the bottle 21, as shown in The vestibulefloor 54 of the inner member 50 preferably tapers downwardly towards themiddle and has a central opening around which is formed a flange 70which fits over the ocket 53, it being driven onto said pocket untl itengages the shoulder 65. 'The entire inner member is preferably die castof an chamber,

having suflicient hardness to resist deformation, and this member ispreferably coated with an acid-resisting aint so as to prevent its beingattacked by 'lute acids-in the ink. The floor 54 has an inner vent hole74 which is preferably on the opposite side of the member 50 from theouter vent hole 62.

Formed in the member 50 by the walls thereof above described is anannular vent vestibule 75 which is preferably a fluid-tight the onlyopenings of which are the outer and inner vents 62 and 74. While theyestibule 75 may be left empty orit may be provided with any desiredmeans for absorbing ink or obstructing the flow of ink from the innervent 74 to the outer vent 62, this vestibule is preferably filled with afinely divided substance'such as wool or cotton.

Fitting about the lower portion of the pen pocket 53 is a pair ofscreens and 81 which are preferably formed of acid-resisting metal, orthe like, and the purpose of which is to break up bubbles of ink whichmight form in the a r space in the bottle 21 above the ink and keepthese from entering the inner vent hole 74.

Operation The operation of our invention is as fol,- lows: Any standardfountain pen, such as the pen 85 shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and having aresilient ink sac 86, ma be filled by the pen filling device 20. oaccomplish this the barrel 87 is grasped in one hand of the operator'andthe pen nib 88 is inserted downwardly through the opening 48 in the wall47 until the mouth 89 of the pen' barrel 87 comes into pressural contactwith the upper surface 90 of the wall 47, thereby depressing this walluntil it comes into contact with the upper surface of the annular boss58. This boss supports the wall 47 so that further pressure downward onthe pen 85 tends to make a fluid-tight seal'between the mouth 89 of thebarrel and the upper surface 90 of this wall, but the size of theopening 48 and the.

fact that the wall is supported from beneath by the boss 58 excludes thepen barrel 87 from the hole 48.

The width and length of pen nibs 88 of different pens vary considerably,but the pen pocket 53 is made so as to closely confine the largest ofthe pen nibs 88 with which the de-- I vice 20 is adapted to be used.

It is thus seen that by the action of press ing the pen barrel 87downwardly, a space surrounding the nib 88, and excluding the barrel 87,has been closely confined, this space being connected through thechannels 59 to the interior of the bellows 45. The walls of the bellows45 are now compressed with the fingers of the other hand, as shown inFig. 7, thereby forcing air from the bellows downwardly through thechannels 59, the pen pocket 53, and the tube 68 so that this air isemitted in the form of bubbles from the lower end of this tube, thesebubbles rlsmg u wardly, as shown in Fig. 7, and being bro on onthisbellows is released is to evacuate the air from the sac 86 of the pen 85so that this sac is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 8. The suction of thebellows 45 also draws ink upwardly through the tube 68 and the penpocket 53 so as to fill this pen pocket up to the wall 47, an

excess of ink being drawn through the channels 59 into the lower end ofthe bellows 45, as clearly shown in Fig. 8. The channels 59 are thusseen to form a vent means for relieving the upper end of the pocket 53of air. The lower end of the bellows 45 is also seen to form a reservoirof fairly liberal size for surplus ink elevated by the bellows;

The bellows 45 is shown in full lines in Fig. 8 as when only partlyexpanded to its normal position. When the bellows is completelyexpanded, as shown by dotted lines 95 in Fig. 8, the ink has been drawnupwardly in the pen pocket, the channels, and the lower portion of thebellows until the upper level of this ink is approximately as indicatedby the broken lines 96. As soon as the sucking effect of the bellows 45is relaxed, the sac 86 begins to expand and draw in ink. It is one ofthe objects of our invention, as stated hereinbefore, to give the sac 86a good load of ink, and for this reason it is necessary to exclude asmuch air as possible from this sac when it is expanding. This has beendone by surrounding the nib 88 with ink excepting in the small spacebeneath the barrel mouth 89 in the opening 48 which is not occupied bythe nib 88. This space is so small, however, as to have practically noeffect upon the load of ink taken up by the sac 86 when it expands.

The surplus quantity of ink which has been drawn upwardly by the bellows45 consists of the stratum of ink which lies between the level of thelower surface of the floor 47 and tion of a second following theresumption by the bellows 45 of its normal shape. Therefore, it is onlynecessary for a person to count to two or three after observing thecessation of movement in the bellows 45 to be absolutely sure that hehas a full load of ink in his pen.

If a person should not hold the pen tight enough to make a fluid-tightseal between the barrel mouth 89 and the wall 47, a sucking noise willresult which. will warn him that he does not have a full load. In thisevent it is only necessary to leave the pen nib in the device, make amore perfect sealing connection between the mouth 89 of the pen barreland the wall 47, and then repeat the squeezing of the bellows 45 and thereleasing of this as previously described. If there is any ink in thesac 86 when the bellows 45starts to expand it will suck out every bit ofthis ink as well as practically all of the air in the sac, therebypermitting the sac to take on a full load of ink when the bellows 45reaches its fully expanded position.

When the pen nib 88 is withdrawn from the pen filling device 20 the wall47 follows the mouth 89 of the pen barrel upwardly until this wallreaches its elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1. If the pen nib is ofa relatively large size, it is rotated slightly to assist in its removalfrom the hole 48. This lifting ofthe floor 47 causes a slight increasein the capacity of the bellows 45 so that air issucked inwardly betweenthe mouth 89 of the pen barrel 87 and the sealing surface 90 of thefloor 47 so as to clean the surfaces of the hole 48 and the sealing face90 of any accumulation of ink adhering to these surfaces as a result ofthe pen filling operation, other than a very thin film of ink whichremains on the surfaces. Another advantage which results from thelifting of the floor 47 is that the lower surface of this floor, thatis, the lower surface 97 of this floor, is lifted above the level 96 ofvink in. the bottom of the bellows 45 so that the air trap present in thebellows 45 while the pen is still inserted in the device, is broken,thereby releasing the ink so that this can flow from the lower end ofthe bellows 45 through the channels 59 and into the pocket 53, fromwhich this ink drains through the tube 68 into the bottle 21.

It is also desired to state here that it is preferable for the shell 28to be formed from relatively soft rubber so that the bellows 45 does notexpand too rapidly when it is released after being compressed as shownin Fig. 7.

The drawings herewith of device 20 are scale drawings, one and one-halfactual size, of a very satisfactory working model of the device.

In putting the device 20 on a bottle it is necessary to keep the venthole 40' open in air order to prevent a yser of ink upward from thedevice. The s oulder 39 ma es it practically impossible for a finger tobe aced over the vent 40 'so as to entirely close t is.

In Fig. 5 we have shown a modified form of inner member which is exactlylike .the inner member 50 excepting that the floor 101 of the vestibule102 o the member 100 is provided with a valve seat 103 on the lowersurface thereof and an annular wall 104 on the upper surface thereof,the valve seat 103 and the wall 104 being disclosed concentrically witha vent hole 105. Ada ted to rest on the floor 101 within the annu arwall 104 is a hollow frusto-conical valve actuating bod 106 which isprovided at its lower edge wit assageways 107. Hung from the body 106 ymeans of a wire 108 is a valve head 109, as shown in Fig. 5.

Provided on the floor 101 of the member 100 is a vertical wall 110 forthe tpurpose of protecting the body 106 from the brous material 111 withwhich the vestibule 102 is packed. This construction forms anautomatically closing vent valve 112 which closes as shown in Fig. 6when the device 20 is turned upon its side or upside down. The effect ofthis valve is to prevent the admission of ink to the vestibule chamber75 when the bottle 21 is tipped so that ink covers the inner vent ofthis chamber.

Referring now to Figs. 9, 10, and 11, we have disclosed therein amodified form of fountain pen filling device which includes a rubbershell 121 having a tubular body 122, inside of which are formed annularrecesses 123 and 124 so as to provide a lower securing ring 125, aninternal flange 126, and an upper internal flange 127. The lower end ofthe ring 125 has an internal bevelled surface 128 to facilitate thedevice being applied to the bottle 21, as shown in Fig. 9.

Positioned in the annular recess 124 is a metal member 130 having anouter wall 131, from the upper edge of which is formed an annular Wall132 in the middle of which is provided a drain valve opening 133.

Formed upwardly from the tubular body 122 is an annular wall 135 whicharches inwardly to form a bellows 136, the inner portions of the wall135 forming a cup 137 having a floor 138, this floor having a pen nibreceiving hole 139. Formed upon the floor 138 and extending downwardlytherefrom is a pin pocket 145, the upper end of which communicates withthe hole 139 and has an annular valve shoulder 146 formed outwardlythereon, this shoulder having lateral passages 147 formed therein whichconnect the upper end of the pen pocket with the lower end of thebellows 136. The annular valve shoulder 146 is of larger diameter thanthe opening 133 in the wall 132 of the member 130 and is adapted to seaton this wall to close the open- Lenses floor 138 is pushed Connecting tothe lower end of the pocket 145 is a tube 149 which extends to thebottom of the bottle 21 and is provided at its lower end with a weirmember 150, this member having an aperture therein which restricts theflow of ink through this tube.

As the pocket 145 is preferabl soft rubber it is adapted to be fbrmedwith the shell member 121 in one cure. Attention is called to the factthat in the device 120 there are no vents from the bottle 21 through theshell 121 excepting the passage up through the hole 133 and the passaewa s 147 which lead through the upper en of tlie pocket 145 to the pennib openm 139.

The internal meta member 130 forms a dead air chamber 160, the'purposeof which will be made evident hereinafter.

The operation of the device 120 is shown in Figs. 10 and 11. To fill thepen 85 with this device, the nib 88 thereof is inserted through the nibopening 139 as shown in Fi 10, and the pen is pressed firmly downward soas to bring the annular valve shoulder 146 into contact with the floor132, thereby closing the valve opening 133. The nib 88 is thus extendedinto the pen pocket 145 which yields to adapt itself to the shape ofthis nib, so that only a very small space remains in the pocket 145which is not occupied by the nib 88. With the pen thus presseddownwardly the bellows 136 is seized between the thumb and forefingerand collapsed as shown in Fig. 10, so as to force air from this bellowsdownwardly through the passageways 147, the pen pocket 145, and the tube149 so that this air is expelled through the weir member 150 into theink in the bottle 21. This air rises upwardly through the ink and formsbubbles 162, as shown in Fig. 10, in the dead air space 163 enclosed inthe bottle above the ink. This causes a back pressure to be built up inthe bottle owing to the absence of any vent to the atmosphere at thistime, but owing to the fact that the dead air space chamber enlarges thedead air space 163, normally in the bottle, this back pressure isinsuflicient to hamper the successful operation of the'device 120 whenthe level 165 of the ink in the bottle 21 is at or below the point shownin Fig. 10.

In fact, an adequate vacuum is formed in the bellows 136, when it isreleased as shown in Fig. 11, to evacuate the air from the pen sac 86and cause an inflow of ink through the weir 150 and tube. 149 into thepocket 145, thus filling this pocket and providing a surplus of inkwhich flows outwardly through ing 138 when the cup downwardly.

formed of the passageways 147 until the lower end of the bellows 136 isfilled up to the level 166. The pressure in the bottle, of course,assists in the elevation of ink as just described. As indicated in Fi11, the pen sac 86 remains collapsed unti the bellows 136 resumes itsnormally expanded position indicated by the broken line 168, whereupon,the suction being broken in the pen pocket 145, the pen sac 86 expandsby its own resiliency and takes in a full load of ink.

With the pen thus filled with ink, it is lifted upwardly, thus releasingthe wall 135 from downward pressure on the cup floor 138 and permittingthis cup floor 138 to return to its upper position as shown in Fig. 9.This opens the valve opening 133 and permits the surplus ink in thelower end of the bellows 136 to drain downwardly through the opening 133without passing through the pen pocket, and establishing a bottle ventto the atmosphere through this opening, as before described. This alsopermits the surplus ink in the pen pocket 145 to drain downwardlythrough the tube 149 into the bottle. It is thus seen that the drainageof the surplus ink from both the pen pocket 145 and the lower portion ofthe bellows 136 into the bottle 21 is responsive to the withdrawal ofthe pen 85 from the device.

This drainage has the advantage of rendering the spilling of ink fromthe device relatively difficult. After the ink, has drained, as abovedescribed, and the bottle 21 having the device 120 mounted thereon isturned upon its side, the ink passing through the opening 133 will haveto fill the bellows 136 up to the level of the pen nib opening 139before this ink will start to fiow from the device.

An important feature of the fountain pen filling device 120 is the useof a flexible pen nib pocket 145. This pocket not only yields to conformto the pen nib when the latter is inserted therein, but it is furtheradapted to yield to the pressure differential between the interior andexterior thereof so as to even more tightly cling to the pen nib andcorrespondingly reduce the free space in the pocket not occupied by thepen nib itself. The flexible nature of the pocket 145 thus greatlyreduces the amount of air space connected with the bellows 136 when thisis collapsed, as shown in Fig. 10, and this makes it much easier to drawa vacuum on this pocket, in the face of a back pressure in the bottle,when the bellows is released. The clinging of the pocket 145 to the nibunder external pressure is also an effective aid in the operation of thedevice as a much smaller quantity of ink is thus suflicient to immersethe pen nib 8 and permit the'pen sac 86 to take in a full load of ink.

Where it is desired to work on very close clearances in the pocket 145the inner surface of this pocket is scored so as to provide longitudinalchannels for conducting the ink around the nib where this pressurallyengages the pocket walls.

Referring now to Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive, a third modified form of theinvention will be described which c omprises a pen fillin device 200,this being mounted in a s ia bottle 201. The bottle 201 has a nec 202provided externally with threads 203, upon.

, which a cap 204 is screwed, this cap having a central opening 205.

The device 200 includes upper and lower rubber cups 210 and 211 havingannular, flange portions 212 and 213 which are compressed beneath thecap 204, a washer 215 which has a central opening therein, beingdisposed between said cups, as shown. The cup 210 extends downwardlythrough the central opening of the washer 215 and is formed so that thenormal position of this cup is with its side walls folded, as shown inFig. 13, there being a bottom wall 217 formed on this cup having a pennib receiving aperture 218 provided centrally therein.

The outer cup 211 is also formed with its side walls folded, as shown inFig. 13, this cup also having a bottom wall 220 which is centrallyprovided with a pen pocket 222, the lower end of which has a tube 223which extends downwardly into the ink in the bottle 201.

Provided in the lower end of the tube 223 is a weir member 225 having afairly small orifice therein, this member being formed of anon-corrosivev material, such as hard rubber or the like.

Resting upon the floor 220 of the lower cup 211 is a washer 230 having araised annular ring 231 formed centrally therein, this ring having acentral opening 232. The ring 231 is supported by a wall 233, this wallhaving openings 234 provided radially therein.

The operation of the device 200 in filling the pen 85 is as follows: Thenib 88 is extended downwardly through the nib receiving opening 218, andthe mouth 89 of the barrel 87 is brought pressurally against the uppersurface of the cup bottom 217, so as to depress this and expand the sidewalls of the cups 210 and 211, as shown in Fig. 15. In this downwardmovement the two cups 210 and 211 cooperate to provide a bellows 240which evacuates the air from the pen pocket 222 so as to collapse thesac86 in the pen and draw ink through the weir 225, thus filling the penpocket 88 and the lower end of the bellows 240, as shown in Fig. 15.Owing to the fact that the pen nib 88 is fairly closely confined by thepen pocket 222 a relatively small quantity of ink is sufiicient to fillthe remaining space in this pocket to cause the ink to rise up to alevel where it contacts the lower face of the upper cup bottom 217 andrises in the lower end of the bellows 240 so as to lock the air in thisbellows and prevent admission of this air to the pen nib 88 when thevacuum is relaxed so as lower cup 211 in the operation of filling thepen 85 the air in the bottle 201 is compressed so asto assist the ink toflow upthe tube 223 into the pocket 222. Thus, when the pen. nib 88 islifted out of the pen nib opening 218, the tendency of the lower on 211to rise to its normal folded position is dela ed by the semi-vacuum inthe air space in t e bottle 201 until this is broken bi the surplus inkreturning through the poo et 222 and the tube 223 into the ink bottle.This prevents a sudden collapsing of the bellows 240 which might cause afountain of ink therefrom. As the pen is lifted the upper cup bottom 217follows the mouth 89 of the pen barrel 87 faster than the lower cup, asli ht amount of air thus being caused to pass ownwardly between the penand the cup bottom 217, this tending to clear the pen nib opening 218 ofink as the pen nib is withdrawn therethrough.

From the above description it is seen that all of the objects set forthat the beginning of-this specification are attained by our invention. I

While we have shown and described herein only three forms of ourinvention, it is to be understood that various changes might be made inthese without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope ofthe appended claims.

at we claim is 1. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of: awall provided with a vertical opening adapted to admit the nib of afountain pen and a resilient seat means disposed about said opening andengaging the mouth of the barrel of said pen to exclude said barrel frompassing through said opening, and to make a fluid-tight seal with saidmouth, vent means being provided leading from the space immediatelysurrounding said nib a relatively short distance below the level of saidseal; said wall providing means to lift a body of ink from a source .ofsupply upwardly in said space so as to immerse said nib in ink up to thelevel of said vent means, said ink entering said vent means and forminga liquid trap preventing access of air to the aforesaid space during thefilling of said pen from said ink.

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which said seat means is formed on asubstantially horizontal upper face of said wall, whereby pen barrelmouths of varying diameters are seated substantially on the same level.

3. A combination as in claim 1 in which a pocket is provided whichrelatively closely confines sald pen nib, said seat means beingdepressible to dispose said nib opening closely adjacent the upper endof said pocket, said vent means being of a relatively restrictedcross-sectional area.

4. A combination as in claim 1 in which a pocket is provided whichrelatively closely confines said pen nib, said seat means be g namaeo 5.A combination as in claim 1 in which a pocket is provided whichrelatively closely confines said pen nib, said seat means beingdepressible to dispose said nib o ening closely adjacent the upper endof sai pocket, said vent means being of a relatively restrictedcross-sectional area, said wall also providing an ink surplus reservoirwhich said vent means connects to said pen pocket, air in said reservoirbeing liquid locked against flowing through said vent means into saidpocket when the'device is in readiness for the pen sac to take a drinkof ink; and means whereby said surplus ink in said pen nib pocket, saidvent means, and said reservoir may automatically return to said sourceof supply when said pen barrel mouth is lifted from said seat means.

6. A combination as in claim 1 in which said wall is yieldably supportedpermitting it to be depressed a limited distance in the act of making asealing engagement between said barrel mouth and said seat means, saidwall following said barrel mouth upwardly to the normal position of saidwall when said pen nib is Withdrawn from said opening, therebypreventing a surplus of said elevated ink from flowing out at said nibopening and ad-- mitting air above the surface of said surplus ink whenthe nib is withdrawn.

7. In a fountain pen fillin device the combination of a vertical pen ni'pocket adapted to relatively closely confine the nib of a fountain penwhen said nib is inserted downward therein; resilient seat meansdisposed about the upper end of said pocket to form a fluidtight .sealwith the mouth of the barrel of said pen and limit downward movement ofsaid mouth relative to said pocket; means for connecting the lower endof said pocket with a suppl of ink disposed therebeneath; and meansorming a surplus ink reservoir disposed laterally from the walls of saidpocket and adjacent to and connected with the upper end of said pocket,said last mentioned.

means also providing means for creating a pressure differential betweensaid reservoir and said ink supply tocause ink to flow upward from thelatter to fill said pocket up to said connection with said reservoir,and overflow a substantial amount into said reservoir.

8. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of: a suction means;Walls forming a pen nib pocket adapted to relatively closely confine a,nib of a fountain pen so that a relacombination of: a substantiallycylindrical tivel small quantity of ink'in said pocket will immerse saidpen nib, an upper portion of said pocket communicating with said suctionmeans, said pocket having an opening for receiving said nib there beingseat means disposed about said opening to exclude the barrel of said enand make a fluid-tight seal with the mout thereof; and means connectinga lower end of said nib pocket with a sup ly of ink, so that surplus inklifted by said suction means will drain into said supply when said sealis broken.

9. In a fountain pen ink sac filling device the combination of: wallsforming a pen nib pocket adapted to relatively closely confine the nibof a fountain pen so that a relativel small quantity of in in saidpocket wil immerse said nib, said ocket having an opening for receivingsaid nib there being seat means disposed about said opening to excludethe barrel of said pen and make a fluid-tight seal with the mouththereof; means connecting said pocket with a supply of ink; and asuction bellows connecting wlth an upper portion of said pocket, saidbellows being resilient and normally in expanded condition, the capacityof said bellows being such that when compressed and released, with saidseat means closed by the mouth of a en barrel, as aforesaid, a suctionis effected w ich collapses the ink sac in said pen and draws ink intosaid pocket to substantially fill this, said bellows then returning toits normal expanded condition, relaxing said suction and permitting saidsac to take in a load of ink.

10. In a fountain pen ink sac filling device the combination of: wallsforming a pen nib pocket adapted to relatively closely confine the nibof a fountain pen so that a relatively small quantity of ink in saidpocket will immerse said nib, said pocket having an opening forreceiving said nib there being seat means disposed about said opening toexclude the barrel of said pen and make a fluid-tight seal with themouth thereof; means connecting said pocket with a suppl of ink; and asuction bellows connecting wit an upper portion of said pocket, saidbellows being resilient and normally collapsed into contractedcondition, the capacity of said bellows being such that when manuallyexpanded to its fully expanded condition, with said seat means closed bythe mouth of a pen barrel as aforesaid, a suction is effected whichcollapses the ink sac in said pen, and

draws ink into said pocket to substantially fill it, said suction thenbeing spent, thereby permitting said sac to take in a load of ink. 11.In a fountain pen filling device the shell of soft rubber adapted to fitover the neck of an ink bottle; pen pocket forming means provided withinsaid shell on a vertical axis; means for connecting said pocket with inkin said bottle; and flexible suction bellows means formed upwardly fromsaid shell, a pen nib opening being formed in said bellows means inalignment with said ocket.

12. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of: an annularresilient bellows; means forming a pen pocket disposed axially relativeto said bellows, said pocket communicating with said bellows, therebeing a central opening in a wall of said bellows through which the nibof a pen may be inserted into saidpen pocket, the mouth of the barrel ofsaid pen makin a fluid-tight fit with said wall; means or' mounting theaforesaid means on an ink bottle; and means for connecting said penpocket with the ink in said bottle.

13. In a fountain pen filling device the.

combination of: means forming a pen nib pocket disposed vertically, andadapted to relatively closely confine the nib of a fountain pen; seatmeans formed at the upper end of said pocket to admit the nib of saidpen into said pocket, exclude the barrel of said pen from said pocket,and make a fluidtight seal with the mouth of said barrel; means formounting the aforesaid means on an ink container; means connecting saidpocket with ink in said container; and means forming a suction chamber,said chamber being freely and exclusively connected with the upper endof said pocket when said seal is formed so as to be adapted to bothexpel air into said pocket and withdraw air therefrom.

14. A combination as in claim 13 in which said suction means isconnected to the upper end of said pocket through an ink reservoirprovided by the lower portion of said suction means, said suction meansyieldably expanding of itself, when compressed and released, thuscollapsing an ink sac in said pen and drawing ink up in said pocketuntil it overflows into said reservoir, said seat means being yieldablysuspended above the normal level of ink thus entering said reservoir,the engagement of said seat means by said barrel mouth, to effect saidseal, depressing said seat means below said level.

15. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of means adapted tobe mounted on top of a bottle for receiving the nib of a fountain pen,collapsing the ink sac in said pen, and elevating ink up from saidbottle to immerse said nib and permit said sac to suck in a load of ink,there being an air vent rovided leading from the interior of said bottleto the atmosphere; and bubble breaking means disposed to shield saidvent from ink bubbles resulting from the operation of said device.

16. A combination as in claim 15 in which.

said bubble breaking means includes a screen mounted in spaced relationwith said vent.

17. A combination as in claim 9 in which v means is said bellows isadapted'to draw ink up and out of said upper portion of said pocket ando atmosphere during the operation of said de-- return said ink to saidbottle without its pass-' 10' in through said pen pocket; and automaticvalve means for retaining said ink in a reservoir provided by andcommunicatin with a lower portion of said bellows wh1 e the latter isunder suction. 4

19. A combination as in claim 9 in which the space in said bottle isclosed from the vice, and in which air from said bellows is forced intosaid container preparatory to the expansion of said bellows to draw inkupwardly into said pocket.

20. A combination as in claim 9 in which the space in said bottle isclosed from the atmosphere during the operation of said device, and inwhich air from said bellows is forced into said container preparatory tothe expansion of said bellows to draw ink upwardly into said pocket; andmeans in said device formin an auxiliary dead air s ace to augmentsugstantially the minimum ead air space normally present in thecontainer.

21. In an ink dispensing device the combination of means adapted to bemounted on an ink container for lifting ink up from said containertemporaril for use, the surplus ink so lifted being thereafter returnedautomatically to said container; means providing a vent from said bottleto the atmosphere during operation of said device;

and valve means operating automatically to shut said vent in response toturning said container on its side or upside down.

22. In an ink dispensing device the combination of: tubular mountingmeans adaptseat means provided about said exclude the barrel of said enom said pocket and make a fluid-tight seal with the mouth of saidbarrel; and means for del1ver1ng 1nk mto said pocket from which themksac 1n said 'pen may take a load of ink.

24:. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of; a flexible pennib pocket adapted to yieldably conform to the nib of a fountain pen sothat said nib is confined m said pocket with a relatively small amountof free space, there being an openin at one end of sald pocket forreceiving sai nib; seat means provided about said 0 ning to exclude thebarrel of said pen rom said pocket and make a fluid-tight seal with themouth of said barrel means for drawing a suction on said pocket tocollapse the ink sac in said pen and delivering ink to said pocket bythe semi-vacuum formed therein, a portion of said ink being drawn intosaid sac when, owing to the relaxing of said vacuum, said sac expands.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles,California, this 7th day of May, 1932.

RAMSAY L. HARRIS.

DANA E. KEECH.

ed to be pressed down over the upper end of v the neck of an ink bottle;means rovided thereon for lifting ink up from sald bottle, there being apassage formed therein which communicates with ink in said bottle whilesaid mountin means is being applied to said bottle, there eing a singlerelatively small vent hole in said device communicating with the spaceabove said ink and the atmosphere;

and means formed in the outer surface of said mounting means to providea shoulder adjacent the outer mouth of said vent which substantiallprevents said vent being accidental:

l closed by the fingers while applying said evice to a bottle.

23. In a fountain pen filling device the combination of: a flexible pennib pocket adapted to yieldably conform to the nib of a fountain pen sothat said nib is confined in said pocket with a relatively small amountof free space, there being an opening at one

